L AKE COUNTY HORSE COUNCIL TRAIL SAFETY GUIDELINES
The Lake County Horse Council has an active group of trail riding members and has been involved in trail repair and clearing since our inception in 2010. We have been active in issues of trail planning and safety with local land managers including obtaining a trail grant for repairs to the Lake Trail at Highland Springs Recreation Area and fundraising for trail signs. Lake County Horse Council advocates for safe trail standards on recreational lands and supports multi-use trails where appropriate.
Because bicycles can travel 2-5 times faster than ‘foot traffic’ (hikers and equestrians) and are hard to hear upon approach, specific trail design standards and safety guidelines are necessary to provide a safe trail experience for all users. With the advent of applications such as STRAVA, which encourages speeding, as well as the continuing development of mountain bike technology, we believe that land managers should adopt trail standards in the interest of safety for all users. We also believe that current trails that cannot meet the following safe standards should not be considered ‘multi-use trails.’ Not all trails are appropriate for all users. We have used Federal and State Guidelines as well as those of county land managers to develop the following criteria:
1. TREAD WIDTH: 24-48"
2. TRAIL CORRIDOR: 8 ft. min
3. AVERAGE GRADE < or = 5%
4. MAXIMUM GRADE: 10%
5. OUTSLOPE: 3-8%
6. SPEED: 10mph (5mph on corners)
7. LINE OF SIGHT: 50ft min
8. TURN RADIUS: 7-15%
9. SWITCHBACK: 4-8%
10 VERTICAL CLEARANCE: 12-15ft
11. SEASONAL TRAIL CLOSURE: We support seasonal closure of affected trails when wet
12. DROP OFF'S: Trails that sideline hills or are at the top of steep drop offs are not safe for multi-use.
GENERAL
As mountain bikes get heavier and faster with speed-assisted and electric motors, we encourage land managers to look toward separate trail systems for bikes that will fit their needs. We also encourage the use of a trail conflict tracking system, such as PARKWATCH, or including a tracking method on land managers’ web sites. We also encourage the use of warning bells on bikes so that slower users can hear their approach. As stated before, our intent is to support multi-use trails as long as they meet the criteria above. The LCHC intends to continue advocating for safe equestrian trails and working positively with all user groups and land managers.
Because bicycles can travel 2-5 times faster than ‘foot traffic’ (hikers and equestrians) and are hard to hear upon approach, specific trail design standards and safety guidelines are necessary to provide a safe trail experience for all users. With the advent of applications such as STRAVA, which encourages speeding, as well as the continuing development of mountain bike technology, we believe that land managers should adopt trail standards in the interest of safety for all users. We also believe that current trails that cannot meet the following safe standards should not be considered ‘multi-use trails.’ Not all trails are appropriate for all users. We have used Federal and State Guidelines as well as those of county land managers to develop the following criteria:
1. TREAD WIDTH: 24-48"
2. TRAIL CORRIDOR: 8 ft. min
3. AVERAGE GRADE < or = 5%
4. MAXIMUM GRADE: 10%
5. OUTSLOPE: 3-8%
6. SPEED: 10mph (5mph on corners)
7. LINE OF SIGHT: 50ft min
8. TURN RADIUS: 7-15%
9. SWITCHBACK: 4-8%
10 VERTICAL CLEARANCE: 12-15ft
11. SEASONAL TRAIL CLOSURE: We support seasonal closure of affected trails when wet
12. DROP OFF'S: Trails that sideline hills or are at the top of steep drop offs are not safe for multi-use.
GENERAL
As mountain bikes get heavier and faster with speed-assisted and electric motors, we encourage land managers to look toward separate trail systems for bikes that will fit their needs. We also encourage the use of a trail conflict tracking system, such as PARKWATCH, or including a tracking method on land managers’ web sites. We also encourage the use of warning bells on bikes so that slower users can hear their approach. As stated before, our intent is to support multi-use trails as long as they meet the criteria above. The LCHC intends to continue advocating for safe equestrian trails and working positively with all user groups and land managers.